Patrick Scott has joined Katrina Nokleby as a prospective candidate in Yellowknife’s Great Slave district, two days after incumbent Glen Abernethy announced he would step down at the forthcoming election.
Announcing his intention to run by email, Scott said his campaign would focus on themes of “renew, refocus, and revive.”
An NWT resident since 1975, Scott – who was defeated by Abernethy in Great Slave eight years ago – wrote: “I have always had an interest in serving our community.
“Representing the voice of residents and the opportunity to help, in the Great Slave riding and the legislature, really appeals to me.
Advertisement.
Advertisement.
In full: Who’s expected to run in the 2019 NWT election
“I consulted family and close friends about running and I have decided that now is the time to give back to the community.”
Scott, who has also lived in Fort Simpson and Behchokö, has eight children.
Since 2016, he wrote, he has helped his daughter to run Yellowknife’s Birchwood Coffee Kǫ̀. He has also worked as a workers’ advisor at WSCC and has past experience with the CBC, World Vision Canada, and as a land claims negotiator.
Advertisement.
Advertisement.
“There is a time for political renewal. That time is now,” Scott wrote on Tuesday.
“The Legislative Assembly needs people who are willing to tackle the issues with a compassionate spirit; the will to empower others; the wisdom to listen and then do.
“I am willing to think outside the box to find new ways to make our communities and our ecosystems healthier.”
In a one-page manifesto, Scott said he would work to eradicate silos in healthcare, develop a more diverse and sustainable economy, and “mentor the homeless and have purposeful rehab programs and facilities.”
His lone prospective opponent to date, Nokleby, is an engineer who announced her intention to run earlier in the summer.
Abernethy said on Sunday he would step down as Great Slave MLA, after 12 years, to focus on other projects and his family.
Cabin Radio will feature extensive interviews with NWT election candidates beginning at the start of September, when nominations officially open. Bookmark our NWT Election 2019 homepage to follow our coverage.
